Lost/Found
Steps to Take If You’ve Lost an Animal
If you have lost an animal in or around Oakland, you should come to the Oakland Animal Shelter at 1101 29t Ave. to place a lost animal report and look for your animal as soon as possible. We do not take lost animal reports over the phone since you are the only one who can positively identify your pet. We recommend that you visit the Shelter immediately after you have lost your animal to file a report and continue visiting the shelter every few days to look for your animal. Don’t give up too quickly. You can also call 510-535-5602 to listen to a partial list of stray animals that have been impounded daily.
Visit all of the animal shelters around the area your pet was lost and file a lost animal report with each shelter. Your pet may have traveled or been carried into the jurisdiction of another animal shelter. See List of Animal Shelters.
Visit the Shelter frequently, at least 2-3 times a week, since holding periods for strays varies from 3-7 days.
Don’t give up too soon!!! Many animals have been missing for weeks (or even months) before being rescued by Animal Control Officers. Check Found Animal report files every time you visit the shelter. Well-meaning citizens may have held your animal for some time before reporting or turning the animal into the shelter.
Advertise in your local newspapers. Don’t wait for the finder to advertise. Place posters in the vicinity where the pet was lost. Include your pet’s sex, age, weight, breed, color, and any special markings. When describing your pet, leave out one identifying characteristic and ask the person who finds your pet to describe it to prove that they actually have your pet.
Check with your local veterinarians – as injured pets may have been taken to the vet by a concerned citizen for Animal Control Officer. Check the shelter’s list of animals at the veterinarian.
Notify neighbors in your area and search the area thoroughly (especially evenings since pets become frightened and hide during the day). Door-to-door canvassing may provide leads in finding your lost animal. Leave a contact number in case your animal is found by a citizen. Enlist the help of children in the area. A reward may generate more interest, but do not list a price.
When you visit the shelter, check the list of animals that were picked up in the field deceased.
When you find your pet, please place an animal license tag or ID tag on your pet immediately. Consider having your animal microchipped at your veterinarian. Also, have your pet spayed/neutered since fixed animals are much less likely to stray from home.
To make it easier to find your pet if it is ever lost, it is very important that your animal always wears identification and that dogs have a current license. You may also want to consider asking your veterinarian about getting your pet microchipped to permanently identify your animal.
Steps to Take if You FIND a Stray Animal
The law requires that you report any stray dog or cat that you find in Oakland to the Oakland Police Department’s Animal Services at 510-535-5602. When reporting, provide a description of the animal along with any identification tag it is wearing. If you decide to keep the animal in your home, rather than bringing it to Oakland Animal Service’s Shelter, you must actively search for the animal’s owner for at least two weeks. Actively searching includes placing ads in local classified ads and putting up signs around the area where you found the dog or cat.
